National Button Accordion Festival returning to Sharon
Apr. 23—SHARON — Hold your schnitzel — The Annual National Button Accordion Festival has made Sharon its regular home.
"There's no place we'd rather be," said Ron Pivovar, a local accordion player and an event organizer.
For the third consecutive year The Apollo Maennerchor Club in Sharon is the venue for the 18th annual event to be held the extended weekend of May 24-26.
Entrance to the festival is $8 on Friday and $10 both Saturday and Sunday with a three-day ticket costing $25. Children under 13 are free.
A resident of Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pivovar thanked the Maennerchor Club for rolling out the red carpet.
Based on last year's attendance he's expecting 200 to 250 people daily. In addition to the local region, musicians and attendees are expected from Alaska, California, Colorado and other states.
To boost sales, the event landed a $2,000 grant from the Mercer County Tourist Promotion Agency. And organizers also are sending 700 mailers.
"At a time when ethnic music is fading away this event is maintaining its attendance and popularity," Pivovar said.
Over the years the festival has roamed the country. For decades it was held in Fontana, Calif., then was moved to Dallas and then Yukon, Okla., he said. Eventually it found its way to the Bessemer Croation Club in Lawrence County and finally to the Maennerchor in Sharon.
Traditional German and eastern European food will be sold by the club during the festival to match the music.
"The Maennerchor sees this as a mission of their cub — to promote ethnic music and dance," he said. "The club and the community are behind this."
